1. Tell me about this trip

"There are some things you don't do now and you may never do again in your life."

The idea of going to the Northwest has not been a day or two. I have been planning to go to Qinghai and Gansu since the summer of 2017. I have been unable to make it due to various reasons, but I have been working on strategies for the Northwest Ring Road during this period. Taking advantage of the fact that Xiaoxue had not yet started school and I was on vacation for a month, it was the summer of 2019, which happened to be the most charming season in the northwest. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so it hit it off and facilitated this trip.

Along the way, Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Yadan Landform, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, Jiayuguan, Colorful Danxia, Qilian Mountain Grassland... every place is a myth in primary school textbooks, which makes people familiar., every attraction carries thousands of historical vicissitudes. If Qinghai's natural landscape is a gift from heaven that is so beautiful that people are suffocating, then Gansu's cultural landscape carries the Chinese people's feelings for the Western Regions for thousands of years. There are towering snow-capped mountains, vast grasslands, vast starry skies, desert sunsets, camel bells, Yadan Devil City, Colorful Danxia, Silk Road, Hexi Corridor... Northwest, familiar but unfamiliar, close and distant, in the end, we decided to see it with our own eyes and pursue its thousand-year-old mystery.

Let's start with a big movie.

The itinerary is as follows for a sneak peek:

8.8: Jinan (9:04)-D1644-Taiyuan (13:13)(13:41)-D2569-Xining (22:58) Live in Xining

8.9: Xining-Ta 'er Temple-Qinghai Lake-Tea Card Living Tea Card

8.10: Chaka Salt Lake-Delingha-Jade Lake-Dachaidan Stay in Dachaidan

8.11: Dachaidan-Nanbaxian Yadan-Petroleum Town-Dunhuang Living in Dunhuang

8.12: Dunhuang-Mogao Grottoes-Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring-Dunhuang Living in Dunhuang

8.13: Dunhuang-Guazhou-Jiayuguan-Colorful Danxia lives in Colorful Town, Zhangye

8.14: Zhangye-Biandukou-Qilian Grassland-Zhuoer Mountain-Qilian Zhuozhou

8.15: Qilian-Menyuan-Daban Mountain-Xining-Mojia Street-Lanzhou Live in Lanzhou

8.16: Lanzhou-Xi 'an-Big Wild Goose Pagoda lives in Xi'an

8.17: Xi'an-Terracotta Warriors-Bell Tower Live in Xi'an

8.18: Xi'an (7:42)-G1844-Tai' an (13:54)-Car-Home

2. Notes on the itinerary (suggestions for dry goods)

1. About travel expenses

During this trip, I recorded a running account of each expenditure and made a summary. From home, Qinghai, Gansu, Xi'an to home, every expenditure was recorded. The total cost for the two people in these 11 days was 11431 yuan, with an average of 5700 yuan per person. Among them, transportation is 6200 yuan, accommodation is 2278 yuan, catering and shopping is 1492 yuan, specialty purchases are 717 yuan, and tickets are 734 yuan. The proportion is as follows:

2. About transportation

1) How to get to Xining: Transportation to Xining from all over the country is relatively convenient. You can fly directly to Xining (it costs 3,000 to 4,000 round-trip from Jinan to Xining in peak season, so we chose the high-speed rail), or you can go to Lanzhou first and then transfer to the high-speed rail to Xining. There are few high-speed trains directly to Xining, and ticket sources are tight, so you can choose to transfer. The most convenient and common transfer places are Lanzhou and Xi'an. We took the high-speed train from Jinan to Xining, changed trains in Taiyuan halfway, set off at 9 a.m. and arrived at Xining Station at 11 p.m. The return journey is to transfer from Xining to Lanzhou to Xi'an. After staying in Xi'an for one day, I will take the high-speed train back to Jinan.

2) Grand Ring Road Transportation: Currently, the relatively mature way of travel is to carpool or bao car from Xining. The cost of a 6-day or 7-day Ring Road pin car generally ranges from 1,300 to 1,500 yuan per person. A pin car or bao car is equivalent to having your own private driver and can take you anywhere, so you don't need to take a taxi yourself, which solves almost all travel problems (except in scenic spots).

3. About accommodation

The biggest fluctuation in travel prices during peak season is accommodation. There is no doubt that July and August are the peak season for tourism in Qinghai, and hotel prices naturally rise. If you choose a pin car or a bao car, you can leave the accommodation to driver, because they all have relatively fixed company hotels that can be a little cheaper. In return, these hotels will also provide free rooms with gei driver. This model can be said to be a win-win situation for the three parties. On the one hand, the hotel has a fixed customer base, and on the other hand, the driver has free accommodation. On the other hand, tourists save the trouble of looking for rooms.

Because we weren't familiar with the situation beforehand and were afraid that we wouldn't be able to book a room by then, we booked tea card, Dachaidan and Dunhuang hotels in advance. The conditions of the inn where Tea Card stayed were relatively difficult. The rooms were very small, only a little cheaper than the hotels in the town. The rooms of the two older sisters who were traveling with us were given by driver, and the conditions were very good. Accommodation in Dachaidan is even more stressful. Driver booked rooms for our two older sisters in good conditions, but the price is really high. In order to save total expenses, we stayed in a space capsule booked in advance, with a cabin of 114. It is located in a pedestrian street in the town. It is convenient to eat and shop, and the overall environment is ok.

Accommodation in Dunhuang is very convenient. On the first night we arrived in Dunhuang, we chose desert camping, which proved to be the stupidest choice I made during the entire trip. Originally, I was full of longing to go camping in the desert and watch the stars, but the next day I ran to a hotel in the city to take a bath and make up for sleep. It was not worth it to think about it. It was better to live in a luxury hotel in the city. The second night in Dunhuang was booked by myself. It was in the city center, and the location, services and facilities were quite good.

The accommodation in Zhangye is given by driver, just outside the Colorful Danxia Scenic Area. At night, you can see the stars all over the sky on the hotel terrace, which is very comfortable. Colorful Danxia Town has everything to offer with catering, accommodation and entertainment. It should be noted that the scenic spot is 40 to 50 kilometers away from the urban area of Zhangye, so you usually live in Qicai Town and leave directly the next day and no longer enter the urban area of Zhangye. The room in Qilian is also given by driver. You must like it here. The hotel is very close to Zhuoer Mountain. It has large floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside the window, there are snowy mountains, streams, birds singing, and fragrance of flowers. The indoor and outdoor environment is very good. Recommended!

Accommodation in the Grand Ring Road is as follows:

4. About diet

Eating during the entire trip is relatively convenient, and the major scenic spots are relatively mature. Driver will take you to the place to eat, and then you choose where to eat, what to eat, and how to pay. Lunch is usually eaten in the town on the road, while breakfast and dinner are at the accommodation place. As for the level of food, it completely depends on your budget. Whether you want to eat well or eat well is your personal choice. Noodle food is generally eaten in northwest China. Rice is expensive and not delicious. The more affordable thing is to eat noodles, or you can also order food.

Recommend several restaurants you have discovered: Dunhuang's Hu Yang Braised Cake is a local specialty, you can try it. There is a more authentic Hu Yang Braised Cake in Market Lane, which is recommended by locals; Qilian's hand-grabbed mutton or roasted lamb chops must be tried. Here we recommend Xiaowang Barbecue City on Renmin Road in the county, which is very popular. Xi'an's roujiamo and paomo are of course indispensable delicacies. I recommend a Loubeilou paomo shop in Dacha City and Hongzhao Xuan Hot Rice Skin.

5. About clothes

The weather in northwest China is changeable, especially in Qinghai, where the altitude is high and the temperature difference between day and night is large. It is recommended to bring a piece of warm clothing. It is about 10 degrees at night in summer and about 25 degrees during the day. You need to wear a thick coat in the morning and evening. Gansu is hot, and it is enough to wear short sleeves. Even camping in the desert, it will not be cold.

Girls wear a red dress when they take pictures when they look good. The brighter the color, the better. They can wear it in Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Jade Lake, and Mingsha Mountain. Buy a red shawl, and the photo effect will be good. Regarding the red shawl, it is recommended that a solid color is better.

6. About purchasing specialties

In particular, if you want to buy some yak meat, black wolfberry, milk shellfish and other specialties produced on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, please be sure to buy it in a big place like Xining, and never buy anything in the scenic spot (bloody lesson!), Either two or three times more expensive, or the quality is not very good. There are many stalls selling specialty products at the Guazhou Expressway Exit, and most drivers will also stay here. You can eat and buy melons here, but it is best not to buy yak jerky here. There is more than 100 pounds, and the quality is not guaranteed. There are many Qinghai-Tibet specialty shops in Mojia Street, Xining, and you can buy things with confidence.

7. About scenic spot tickets

Tickets in Qinghai are still very cheap. The most expensive one is probably Ta 'er Temple. The full ticket is 70 yuan, Chaka Salt Lake is 60 yuan, and Zhuoer Mountain is 75 yuan (including the 20 yuan scenic spot shuttle bus). Tickets are basically not required in other places., such as the Southern Eight Immortals Yadan Landform, Qilian Grassland, Jade Lake, Daban Mountain Observation Platform, Gangshika Snow Peak and other attractions. In particular, tickets to Qinghai Lake are available. There are many rapeseed fields surrounded by local people to charge for fees. You only need one to twenty yuan per person to enter the rapeseed fields to take photos, and you can also go down to the edge of Qinghai Lake. I recommend this way of playing. As for the official Erlangjian Scenic Area, don't go. The entrance fee is 90 yuan. There is no landscape inside. It is all newly developed hotels and the like. It is not interesting.

Tickets in Gansu mainly include Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, Jiayuguan Pass and Colorful Danxia Scenic Area. Tickets for Mogao Grottoes are divided into Class A tickets, Class B tickets, and Class C tickets. Class A tickets are 238 yuan and need to be booked one month in advance on the Mogao Grottoes official website. You can watch video images and 8 caves; Class B tickets are 100 yuan. You need to book through Dunhuang Urban Weixin Mini Programs. You can also queue up to buy tickets at the urban ticketing center with your ID card and visit 4 caves; Class C tickets are 55 yuan, and you can only watch video images. The full ticket for Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area is 110 yuan, the full ticket for Jiayuguan is 120 yuan, and the full ticket for Colorful Danxia is 74 yuan (including the 20-yuan scenic spot shuttle bus). (Regarding Class B tickets for Mogao Grottoes, we did not successfully book Class B tickets through the Weixin Mini Programs within 30 kilometers of Dunhuang City. Instead, we ordered them from a travel agency in the city. Each person needs an extra fifty yuan, which is equivalent to a scalper ticket. However, we don't have to queue up to buy tickets yourself. If we can see them, we will be satisfied.)

All of the above scenic spots can enjoy half-price discounts with student ID cards.

8. About altitude sickness

The altitude in Qinghai is about 3000 meters, Xining is 2200 meters above sea level, and several mountain passes reach nearly 4000 meters above sea level. Generally speaking, ordinary people generally do not experience altitude reaction. Our two young people in their 20s have no body reaction after arriving in Qinghai. If you are worried about high anti-terrorism, you can eat rhodiola in advance. If you are unwell, it is not recommended to go to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. As for Gansu, at an altitude of more than 1000 meters, there is even less altitude reaction.

9. About taking photos

The most important equipment for this trip was the Huawei P30 mobile phone that gave us various blockbusters. We are not professional photographers, nor do we have a SLR. The Huawei P30 we just bought can be said to show our talents, including portrait, professional, night view, wide-angle, and video., various functions are no less inferior to professional guns and short guns.

Recommend several places that are easy to produce large areas: rapeseed flower fields by Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake (requiring high photography technology), Jade Lake (white snowy mountains and light green lake water complement each other), South Eight Immortals Yadan Devil City, Zhuoer Mountain, Colorful Danxia in the afternoon.

10. Regarding pre-departure material preparation

Sunglasses: The sun is very strong in the northwest, especially in the salt lake area. You can't open your eyes without wearing sunglasses.

Sunscreen: Ultraviolet rays are strong on the plateau. If you don't apply sunscreen, you will inevitably peel from the sun. It is recommended to wear enough sunscreen.

Red skirt, red shawl: must-have for girls to take photos.

Medications: Bring some cold medicine, anti-inflammatory medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, rhodiola, VC tablets, erythromycin (used to relieve emergencies when your mouth is dry and blisters).

Lipstick: Students from the mainland who go to the northwest, the climate is so dry that you doubt life, and it is common for your lips to be cracked and peeled.

High-moisturizing skin lotion and body lotion: Be sure to bring some moisturizing cream to prevent the dry weather from drying your face and body to the point of peeling skin.

Toiletries, towels or disposable face towels and bed sheets: You can bring them if you are not worried about the cleanliness of the hotel.

Hair dryer: Some inns and hotels do not provide hair dryers. It is more convenient to bring a small one.

Slippers: It is best to wear slippers when entering Chaka Salt Lake. It is more convenient to have a pair of slippers when going camping in the desert.

Snacks: If you travel for a long time, you may miss your normal meal time. If you are hungry, eat some snacks in the car.

There are also charging treasure, parasols, certificates, bank cards...

3. Start our journey

DAY0: Depart from Jinan and arrive in Xining

At 4 o'clock in the morning, we were awakened by the rapid sound of the alarm clock. Because we were carpooling from home to Jinan West Railway Station to take the high-speed train, we had to get up early. Our luggage had been packed the night before, and we drove straight to Jinan West Railway Station in the morning. It was already 7 o'clock when we arrived, and there were still two hours before the departure. We just solved problems such as going to the toilet, washing, making up, and eating breakfast at the station.

From Shandong on the west bank of the Pacific Ocean to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, we have to cross most of China, and the high-speed rail will take more than 10 hours. It was a long journey, and along the way, we only had fun and fun. Xiaoxue watched the drama, and I killed the werewolves. The division of labor was clear. The car traveled westward through the North China Plain and unknowingly entered the majestic Taihang Mountains, Jingxing Pass, Niangziguan, and the Loess Plateau with ravines unfolded in front of us.

Get off at Taiyuan South Railway Station and transfer to the bus from Taiyuan to Xining without leaving the station. It was only less than half an hour between the two buses. We got off the bus and got on the bus very smoothly. It only took five minutes to transfer. There was no need to leave the station. There was no need for security checks. You can go directly to the ticket gate in the waiting hall, which is very convenient.

Another long drive.

The land in the northwest is rich and makes people feel solid. Although I got up very early, I didn't want to sleep in the car because I didn't want to miss every scenery in the northwest.

Every time the car wants to pass through the tunnel, there must be an amazing beauty in front of us. Every natural landscape is new to us. This is probably the fastest trip we feel on the road.

Finally, the car slowly climbed onto the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The lights of Xining flashed through the window and finally arrived! At eleven o'clock in the evening, the train arrived at Xining Station on time.

After getting off the bus, I immediately felt a trace of coolness. It was indeed on the plateau. When you looked up, you could see the stars in the sky. The moon was hiding behind the illusory clouds. Although it was nearly midnight, it still felt this lovely and intoxicating scenery. Really.

DAY1: Ta 'er Temple Qinghai Lake

"We are on the road with Venus. With us on the road, there are also various confusing dreams about the plateau..." The sunrise on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a little later than that on the mainland. The breeze at 8 o'clock in the morning actually makes people feel the coolness of the mainland in October. After getting up and joining the driver, we set off on time against the first ray of sunshine on the plateau.

The first stop is Ta 'er Temple.

Ta 'er Temple is located in Huangzhong County, south of Xining's Urban area. It takes less than 20 minutes to drive from Xining.

Tips: Tar Temple is a religious place. When entering the temple, you must respect religious culture and dress appropriately.

In the afternoon, head to Qinghai Lake, the biggest protagonist of this trip!

"I rushed to the early morning in July, breathing deeply in the sweet air after the rain. In an instant, I was shocked, as if I had accidentally plunged into a huge picture and lost my center and direction. In front of my eyes, there was a green grassy beach inlaid with dew. Yellow rapeseed flowers grew on the grassy beach. Behind the green and yellow, there was an endless blue lake water. The green of the grass beach is tender, the yellow and vigorous of the cauliflower, and the blue of the lake is so intoxicating! It is blue like the ocean, which is purer than the ocean; it is blue like the sky, which is deeper than the blue of the sky. The blue of Qinghai Lake is pure, the blue is deep, and the blue is gentle and elegant. There is a layer of slight ripples on the blue damask lake, like unsolidified glass slurry, or like the watery, blue eyes of a white girl..."

I still remember the article "Qinghai Lake, a dreamy lake" in the primary school textbook. It is the most beautiful appearance of Qinghai Lake and the reason that deeply attracted us to come to Qinghai all the way. However, when the blue lake water, rich grassland, blooming rapeseed flowers and herds of cattle and sheep appeared in front of me, I was still shocked by the picturesque scenery. We pursued and exclaimed all the way. Finally, driver chose an excellent and good perspective for us to get off the bus and experience the beautiful scenery we had been waiting for for a long time.

It was the first time I saw the blue lake turning into a dividing line where the sea and the sky met.

Look, taking photos in such a place really requires clothes with obvious contrast and high saturation to match them. Even without a red skirt, a solid burgundy shawl is indispensable. Personally, I suggest that the color of the shawl and skirt should be deeper and heavier. Too bright red always makes people feel a little jumpy. For boys, white is the cleanest, which is very compatible with the blue sky and green grassland.

Photos can convey the picturesque scenery, but they cannot convey one-thousandth of the joy and touch of the people in the scene at that time. Even though the most prosperous flowering period of rapeseed flowers has passed, the scenery is still satisfying. Because we have come, with the most primitive and innocent wishes, and finally arrived at the place in our dream. It is there, it is just like that, it is what we imagined. We have gained the beautiful scenery, and we are moved by the realization of our wish, and the purification and baptism of our souls that nature has given us.

Down to the edge of Qinghai Lake, the first close contact with the pearl of the plateau, the water is crystal clear.

Traveling westward along Qinghai Lake, there are grasslands on both sides of National Highway 109, and flocks of cattle and sheep can be seen everywhere. In the distance, on one side is the changing colors of Qinghai Lake, and on the other side is the gloomy mountains. The people in the car are always reluctant to take their eyes away from the beautiful scenery outside the car window. They still enjoy it even if their necks are sore. It's so beautiful, so beautiful.

I envy the carefree and flocks of cattle and sheep on the grassland. They leisurely leaned over to eat grass and drink water, lazily stretched and basked in the sun. The countless vehicles, large and small, traveling on the road seem to belong to a different world from them. In the distance, there are shepherds riding horses and herding cattle and sheep, accompanied by vast grasslands with blue skies and white clouds, which is no worse than the warm spring days facing the sea. If you are lucky, you can still see the Tibetan mastiffs silently guarding the flock of sheep. Everyone performs their duties and lives in harmony. The picture is so harmonious. Maybe these cattle and sheep don't know where their destiny will end. Just like our lives, why should we care about the destination and the way home? To enjoy every day happily and calmly is the greatest happiness, isn't it?

Qinghai Lake heads west, crosses the Rubber Mountain at an altitude of 3800 meters and enters the Qaidam Basin. The first stop after entering the basin is Chaka. After about three hours of driving, we arrived at the first night at around 9 p.m. Accommodation-Chaka Town. Not long after the sun had just set and night had just fallen on this plateau town, we also successfully checked into the booked inn, hurried to eat and rest, and looked forward to a more beautiful trip tomorrow.

DAY2: Chaka Salt Lake Dachaidan Jade Lake

We entered the Salt Lake early in the morning and it was very cold, but we were lucky that it was a sunny day! You know, encountering rainy days in Chaka Salt Lake may be the biggest misfortune. Following the direction where the small train tracks extended forward, we walked while patting, got down to the lake in the center of the lake, and stumbled forward on the jarring salt grains, completely forgetting the cold lake water.

Tips: ① It is about 5 kilometers from the entrance to the center of the lake. There are two ways to enter and exit-walking and small train. The small train is 50 yuan each way. It is recommended to enter on foot and exit on small train.② After entering the gate of the scenic area is Skyscape Square. There is a sightseeing tower on the square. It seems to be charged separately, so it is really not recommended to go there.③ There are many dark holes in the salt lake. Don't step on them!④ Children's shoes with slippers must be worn down. If you don't have them, it is recommended to spend 10 yuan to rent a shoe cover. If you go down barefoot, you will be groaned by salt.

The photo taking at Chaka Salt Lake did not fully meet expectations, but it doesn't matter, because there is a more beautiful scenery ahead! Jade Lake is highly recommended. As it is currently under development, tickets have not yet been collected.

There are very few tourists here. It is recommended that those who want to take reflection photos can shorten their visit time in Chaka Salt Lake and come to Jade Lake to take photos. The beautiful scenery is not inferior to that of Chaka Salt Lake.

DAY3: Crossing no man's land (Southern Eight Immortals)

Dachaidan went to the Nanbaxian Yadan Landform Group, all the way was the Gobi Desert. Listening to the legendary story of the Southern Eight Immortals told us by the driver, we went deep into this unmanned situation.

In the wolfberry garden, picking wolfberry. This is the first time to eat this kind of wolfberry that has just been picked from the tree. It is quite delicious, but it is not advisable to eat too much.

I don't know how big China is before I have been to the northwest. This is what I think the northwest looks like. The vast Gobi Desert and highways stretch out to the sky like a black line. Cars galloping on the Gobi Desert can speed up to 160 miles. The silence of the no man's land was terrible. The car drove for a long time and no trace of anyone could be seen. Only a few camel grass plants that occasionally appeared on the roadside showed the tenacity of life to passers-by, letting them know that they were not on Mars.

The car sped west in the Qaidam Basin. Gradually, the mountains in front increased, and we were close to the edge of the basin. What lies in front of us is the Altun Mountains. After crossing the Altun Mountains, it rapidly descended from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at an altitude of more than 3000 meters to Dunhuang, Gansu, at an altitude of only more than 1,000 meters. The first stop in Gansu is the town of Aksai Oil. It was once a rich oil field. After the resources were exhausted, the town that was born due to oil was gradually abandoned. Today, only this dilapidated building remains to tell the story of its past glory.

Go straight to Dunhuang from Aksai and give up Yangguan for tickets to tomorrow's Mogao Grottoes. Night is the long-awaited desert camping! At least until now, I am still looking forward to it.

That afternoon, the weather in Dunhuang was very bad. It was foggy, low visibility, and cloudy. I climbed to the sand mountain in the middle of the night and waited until 1 o'clock to see the galaxy I was expecting. I was disappointed.

Tips: If you want to experience desert camping, it is recommended to be mentally prepared first, because the conditions are really simple and you can't take a bath. The hot pot for eating (actually, it's Malatang Bar) is the worst food ever eaten. I don't know whether it's hygienic or not, dune motorcycle can only be experienced for 1 minute. Sand skiing is not as fun as imagined. The next morning, I had to go to a hotel in the city to take a bath and catch up on sleep.

DAY4: Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring

In the morning, I climbed out of my tent and didn't see the desert sunrise. I didn't even eat anything. I could only go to the city in disgrace and catch up on sleep after breakfast.

The afternoon is also the highlight, the Millennium Mogao Grottoes.

Tips: I still have to say a few more words about tickets to Mogao Grottoes. If your itinerary can be confirmed one month in advance, remember to book Class A tickets on the Dunhuang Research Institute's official website 30 days in advance. Because the peak season is very popular, there is no need to be so anxious if it is the off-season; If you don't get a Class A ticket, you can only buy a Class B ticket after arriving in downtown Dunhuang. You can book it from Mini programs, but basically you can't get it. Then you can take your ID card and go to the window to buy it. The queue time is said to be a long time. The most convenient way is to add 50 yuan to the ticketing center to help you buy it. It is equivalent to buying a scalper ticket.

The weather in Dunhuang is too hot, and the desert is even more difficult during the day, so I can only enter Mingsha Mountain in the evening to watch the sunset.

"I want to cross this desert to find my true self. There is only a camel around me. The wind blows, and the clouds float by. Suddenly, the river of love appears. I step onto the desert boat and carry a pipe and an hourglass on my back, and I still hold a pot of strong liquor in my hand. The long ancient road is long, full of joy, anger and sorrow. Only the camel is still busy..." Xiaoxue, who has always envied Sanmao's wandering life in the Sahara, this time come to Shaming Mountain to experience it.

Tips: ① The camel ride on Mingsha Mountain costs 100 yuan every time, starting from the entrance and coming back in a small circle. It is not a transportation method from the entrance to Yueya Spring, because the entrance to Yueya Spring is less than 500 meters away. It only takes 5 minutes to walk, so this camel riding is just an experience.② You must use wooden ladders to climb any mountain, otherwise you can climb one step and slide half a step, and you can climb it for a year.③ The best location to view Crescent Moon Spring is on Mingsha Mountain, so be sure to climb up Sand Mountain to watch the sunset of Crescent Moon Spring. The effect will be average when viewed up close.

In the evening, we went to Shazhou Night Market and found it crowded with people. It was bustling with tourists. Neither of us liked this feeling very much. We bought a bottle of apricot skin water and quickly came out.

DAY5: Jiayuguan Colorful Danxia

Today's task is to rush from Dunhuang to Zhangye, the longest section of the route change, passing through Guazhou and Jiayuguan. It takes more than an hour to reach Guazhou from Dunhuang, and there are various commercial stalls at the highway exit.

Tips: A guide to preventing fraud. These commercial stalls in Guazhou will cut various watermelons, white melons and cani melons for tourists to taste for free. Because melons in this place are as cheap as cabbage and have no profits, they are used for free by tourists. There are also free toilets to attract tourists (dirty simple dry toilets). They not only sell melons, but more importantly, they sell yak jerky meat, preserved fruit, milk shellfish, etc. Give me a reference price, 60 pounds of raisins, hehe. I don't recommend that you buy so-called specialties in scenic spots. I really don't want to discuss it, and the quality is not guaranteed! It's best to buy it in the city, or simply buy it online, and you can also have free shipping.

At noon, we arrived at Jiayuguan, the first pass of the Great Wall.

It was already past four o'clock from Jiayuguan, which was a bit beyond our expectations. We had no choice but to rush to Zhangye Colorful Danxia at full speed, hoping to arrive before closing at 7 p.m. However, the house leaked during the night, and the place where the Lianhuo Expressway was about to get off was stuck in traffic due to an accident ahead. I was anxious! It was already 6:50 by the time we arrived at the scenic spot. In 10 minutes, we ran into the ticketing hall at the speed of a hundred meters to buy tickets. Fortunately, there was no danger.

This may be a pity during the entire trip. There was still sunset when we entered the scenic area and arrived at Observation Deck No. 1, so we quickly took a photo. As a result, there was no sunshine when we took the second photo. We had to give up Observation Deck No. 3 and No. 5 and went straight to the most famous Observation Deck No. 4. However, facing the crowded observation deck, we decisively gave up climbing it.

At night, I lived in Qicai Town at the entrance of the scenic spot. The town was very mature and had a lot of dining and accommodation, which was very convenient.

Tips: The best time to visit the Colorful Danxia Scenic Area is 6:00-8:00 p.m. During this period, the sun shines on the pork belly, and the colors are very bright, making it easier to take large films. The scenic spot can enter the park twice the next morning to watch the sunrise. You only need to buy another ticket for 20 yuan. However, I suggest that you sleep more in the morning, because Danxia in the morning is not beautiful and far worse than in the afternoon.

DAY6: Zhuoer Mountain in the Qilian Grassland

I got up early to watch the sunrise, and made up for the two observation platforms I hadn't seen yesterday afternoon. As a result, not only did I not see the sunrise, but the scenery was also a mess and freezing cold. I took a ride and hurried back. Save your regrets for the next time, pack your mood and go to the prairie!

To enter the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from Zhangye, you have to pass through a throat with steep terrain, which is the dangerous pass called "Dadouba Valley" by the ancients-Biandoukou. Biandukou is more than 3500 meters above sea level. It is Nantong to Qilian in Qinghai and reaches Minle in Gansu in the north. The terrain is dangerous and the mountains are steep. Since ancient times, it has been the only passage through which the Hexi Corridor enters the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The South Road of the Ancient China Silk Road entered Gansu from Qinghai and then to the Western Regions. National Highway 227 runs through the valley. Next to the road, a mountain stream meanders like a silver chain inlaid in the mountains. There are green grass and grass beside the stream, and cattle and sheep are leisurely, giving a good picture of the entrance of Peach Blossom Land.

Along the most beautiful national highway G227, we passed through Biandukou and went up to the plateau again. The temperature outside the car window instantly changed from unbearable dry heat to crisp autumn. The mountains end with the plains and fields, and the eyes suddenly open, as if entering a peach blossom garden. The vast Qilian Prairie gradually opens up in front of you.

How can you gallop on the grassland without raising your whip and leaping horse?

The next stop is Zor Mountain in Eastern Switzerland, where I truly feel what "picturesque" means for the first time.

Go to the county to eat mutton at night!

DAY7: Menyuan Daban Mountain

The last day of the Grand Ring Road is the only morning when you can sleep until you wake up naturally. Starting from Qilian, pass through the Qilian Grassland, take National Highway 227 at Ebao, and return to Xining, passing through the Qilian Grassland, Gangshika Snow Peak, Menyuan's Flowerless Rape Flower Sea, and Daban Mountain Observation Platform.

Daban Mountain is the last mountain pass back to Xining, with an altitude of more than 3800 meters. The Daban Mountain Tunnel on the mountain is the tunnel with the highest altitude. The north and south sides of Daban Mountain are surrounded by pleasant grasslands. The north foot is the Menyuan Baili Rapeseed Sea, and the south foot is the beautiful Heiquan Reservoir.

Look, sheep sheep! My classmate Xiaoxue said that her biggest dream is to come here to herd sheep after retirement! Perhaps for those who are accustomed to the hustle and bustle of cities, everything here has the most pristine atmosphere of nature. I want to have a hut on the hillside here. I ride horses to graze, you chop firewood to cook, face the snowy mountains, and flock of cattle and sheep. This is the life we aspire to.

At about 4 p.m., the five of us successfully arrived at Xining, the terminal station of the Grand Ring Road. We met by chance, and the laughter and laughter along the way left us with a different scenery. We bid farewell here and look forward to seeing you again!

The train leaves for Lanzhou at 9:30 p.m.. It is still early, so you can also go to Mojia Street for a stroll. There are all kinds of snacks and specialties on Mojia Street, and there are many people. You can eat the most authentic Qinghai flavor here.

DAY8: Big Wild Goose Pagoda

I transferred to Lanzhou and didn't stay too much in Lanzhou. After staying for one night, I took the subway to the high-speed railway station early in the morning to prepare to rush to Xi'an. Parking on the platform is the Fuxing!

It was already noon when I arrived in Xi'an, and my tired and hungry body urgently needed a night of mutton steamed buns!

In the evening, after finishing the renovation, we took the subway to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This is the Jing 'an Division in "Chang' an Twelve Hours" starring Lei Jiayin and Yi Shou Qianxi, which was recently popular. (Novels and TV series are fictional, but following the prosperous Chang 'an City to come here, there is an inexplicable sense of reality.)

As night falls, the lights begin to turn on, the Tang Dynasty is a city that never sleeps.

The musical fountain in the North Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

DAY9: Terracotta Warriors, Bell and Drum Tower

DAY10: Let's go home

It took a full 11 days from leaving home to returning home, including 7 days for the Qinggan Grand Ring Road, 2 days for Xi'an, and 2 days for the round trip. Overall, the trip was very smooth. At least I could set off happily and return safely. Moreover, my mind was full of the beautiful scenery along the way. The trip was not empty.

Of course, this is inseparable from careful preparation before traveling. It is recommended that everyone also make good strategies before traveling. The northwest is not as good as elsewhere. Conditions in many places are not as good as imagined. The journey is tiring, and it is better to prepare more than to be in a hurry. I hope that every friend who goes to the northwest can have a perfect and unforgettable journey like us.

Every trip is a cultivation and an opportunity to re-understand yourself. Looking back on this journey, although we couldn't see the most beautiful Milky Way in the desert, although we couldn't catch up with the dazzling brilliance of the colorful Danxia, although the grassland riding was not full, although the flowering period of the Menyuan Baili Rapeseed Sea had passed, although..., we were not sorry at all, because we had seen snowy mountains, Gobi, deserts, grasslands, lakes, and met all kinds of people, and also saw the variegated beauty along the way. When all this became memories, for me, the most beautiful scenery in the world was no longer blue skies and white clouds, snowy mountains and lakes, lonely desert smoke, cattle and sheep on the grasslands, but the person who walked this road hand in hand with me.

Now, whenever I look up at the rolling clouds in the blue sky, I always miss this summer on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau very much...